Production of typographical slugs



Oct. 19, 1937. Q ALBRECHT 2,096,388

. PRODUCTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL SLUGS Filed May 15, 1956 F/GQ Z. 9

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/ k v bvmvrom M/ W W M7? Patented Oct. 19, 1937 PATENT OFFEQE 2,096,388 PRODUCTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL SLUGS Christian'Augustus Albrecht, Berlin, Germany, assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype Company,

Brooklyn, N. Y

Application May 15, 1936, Serial No. 79,833 In Germany August 10, 1935 3' Claims. (01. 199-47) This invention relates to the production of typographical slugs, and is concerned with cases in which, for various reasons, it is necessary or desirable to produce the slug in sections. In such circumstances there may be employed a process for casting, from a long line, a plurality of slug sections adapted to be placed end to end, having overlapping portions or steps formed on the contacting'ends. In thismethod the whole matrix line is placed in an assembling device from which, 'for the production of the first sectional slug, a selected portion of the line, of matrices, not

I shorter than the length of the mould slot actually in use, is removed and placed in a hand-composr ing stick to be inserted in the casting machine,

' whilst, for the casting of subsequent slugs, blank matrices of a width corresponding to the amount of overlap (if any) beyond the end of the mould slot of the sectional slug previouslycast, are inserted in the hand-composing'stick at the beginning of the next line. In this way a sufficient number of matricesmay always be used to ensure that the. last matrixwill coincide with the end of the mould slot, or exceed the length of the latter. I

This arrangement iscumbersome, inasmuch as it is necessary to measure each'time the extent by which the first sectional slug exceeds the desired length and to insert a blank matrix in the matrix line of the next section corresponding to this overlapping portion.

The main object of the present invention is to overcome this difficulty, more especially in the case of a line from which two sectional slugs only are cast and placed end to end, and to do away entirely with the use of blank matrices at the beginning of the second sectional line.

With this object in view the present invention consists in a method of producing a typographical slug by casting a plurality of slug sections, adapted for assembly end-to-end and having stepped or overlap contacting end faces, wherein, after composition of the complete matrix line selected successive sections thereof are transferred to and positioned in successively reverse directions in a composing stick, in order to, allow useof the clamping element thereof for the formation of'the step or overlap portion of each'slug section.

The invention further consists in a method of producing a typographical slug wherein a plurality of slug-sections for endwise assembly are cast from a corresponding plurality of matrix-line sections, comprising the steps of composing the complete matrix-line, selecting sections thereof in sequence, the first of which is not shorter than the length of the mould slot in which the respective slug-section is to be cast, transferring said matrix-line sections successively to a composing stick in which they are sustained in casting relation to a mould, said successive sections being inserted in said composing stick each in a direction reverse to that occupied by the preceding section, whereby the clamping element of said composing stick serves in the formation of a stepped end on each respective slug-section.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description, given by way of example, of one form which it may assume, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 represents a view of an assembling frame or holder and a line located therein;

Figure 2 represents a View of the composing stick with the first section of the line;

Figure 2a represents a view of the slug cast from the line in said composing stick;

Figure 3 represents a view of the composing stick with the second section of the line, and

Figure 3a. represents the slug cast from the second sectional line in the said composing stick.

In carrying the invention into effect in one con- Venient manner, as shown in the example illustrated, (wherein it is assumed that a slug of a total length of 64 ems has to be cast in two sections of 32 ems each), the matrices are inserted in the assembling frame a, which is similar in form to a hand-composing stick, and has a member b for supporting the matrices laterally. On the longitudinal portion 0 there is a scale graduated in ems. When casting the foremost section of the line up to and including the matrix after which appears the dotted line at in Figure 1, is first removed from the assembling frame. The line of matrices removed must have a length which either corresponds exactly to, or is greater than, the length of the sectional slug desired. With a matrix line of exactly 32 ems in length no difiiculties are encountered, because both the sectional slugs will measure exactly 32 ems in length. The invention however covers those cases where the matrix line section at instead of terminating exactly at the 32 em mark on the frame terminates, as illustrated by way of example, about 10 typographical points beyond the 32 em mark. For casting the first sectional slug in such a case, a matrix line of 32 ems plus 10 typographical points in length is removed from the assembling frame and placed in the handcomposing stick in the usual manner as shown, in Figure 2 for insertion into the casting machine. 55

As the mould slot is only 32 ems in length, the slug, cast in known manner, has, as shown in Figure 2a, an overlapping portion, that is to say,

10 points of the type face will extend beyond the body of the slug. The length and position of the mould slot is indicated in dotted lines in FigureZ. I

In casting the second slug the remainder of the matrix line, which is now less than 32-ems in length and actually measures 31 ems plus two 7 line is made in the same mould, a slug is produced as shown in Figure 3a, with a body portion projecting beyond the type face, the clamping wall I of the hand-composing stick acting (to some extent) as a blank matrix. The two slugs shown in Figures 2a and 3a, (one turned through 180 degrees) are placed end to end in order to obtain a complete line of the desired characters.

As the base line of the characters is in adifferent position relatively to the centre of the mould slot, it may be necessary, when casting the second section, to position the hand-composing stick at a different level in front of the mould. This can be effected in a manner heretofore proposed, as locating devices for hand-composing sticks are known wherein a perpendicular displacement of the hand-composing stick in front of the mould alters the level at which the matrices are aligned.

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:- I

1. A method of producing a typographical slug by casting a plurality of slug sections, adapted for assembly end-to-encland having stepped or overlap contacting end faces, wherein, after com-- position of the complete matrixdine, selected successive sections thereof are transferred to,-and

positioned in successively reverse directions in, a

composing stick, in order to allow use of the clamping element thereof for the formation of the step or overlap portionof each slug section.

2. A method of producing a typographical slug,

wherein a plurality of slugsections for endwise assembly are cast from a corresponding plurality of matrix-line sections, comprising the steps of composing the complete matrix-line selecting sections thereof in sequence, the first of which is not shorter than the length of the mould slot in which the respective slug-section is to be cast, transferring said matrix-line sections successively to a composing stick in which they are sustained in casting relation to a mould, said successive sections being inserted in said composingstick, each in a direction reverse to that occupied by the preceding section, whereby the clamping element of said composing stick serves in the formation of a stepped end on each respective slug-section. r

3. A method of producing a typographical slug as claimed in claim 1, including the step of adjusting the casting positions of the matrix-sections, in order that the base lines of the. char acters in the different slug sections will be in alignment when the sections are assembled.

' CHRISTIAN AUGUSTUS ALBRECHT. 

